A-X all over again - USAF pushes for A-10 replacement

[Ainen]

You probably want both. Army with a tilt-rotor, based close to the action, for quick response. Air Force with similar weapons, fixed wing, drone, 24h+ endurance.

how far is tiltrotor from fixed wing really....

 

[Scott Kenny]

how far is tiltrotor from fixed wing really....

Mostly in terms of stealth. Hard to stealth the proprotors, even if you can stealth everything else.

 

[Desertfox]

While I would love to see an unmanned ARES, I think this is going to be a role thats going to fall on big quad-copter UAVs that can be truck transported and under the direct control of front-line troops, and capable of mounting a light cannon.

 

[Scott Kenny]

While I would love to see an unmanned ARES, I think this is going to be a role thats going to fall on big quad-copter UAVs that can be truck transported and under the direct control of front-line troops, and capable of mounting a light cannon.

Actually, I really could see a gunship drone developed out of the ARES. Same or similar planform, anyways.


This would require the USAF to not lose its mind over the Army getting seriously armed drones, of course. I don't mean arming a few Gray Eagles operated by Division RSTA Cav Squadron, I mean arming two dozen or more drones per Brigade, probably part of the Assault Helicopter Battalion(s).

 

[Colonial-Marine]

Army Aviation can barely fund its rotary wing fleet with what it needs where are they going to get the money for drone gunships of some kind? They'd have to be given a larger slice of the budget pie to work with and when has that ever happened before?

 

[Scott Kenny]

Army Aviation can barely fund its rotary wing fleet with what it needs where are they going to get the money for drone gunships of some kind? They'd have to be given a larger slice of the budget pie to work with and when has that ever happened before?

Agreed but weirder things have happened.

I'd say that the last time Army Aviation really got a bigger budget was Vietnam.

 

[Seragina]

I'll bet on small drones for small units and large swarms for brigade level. This takes care of most foot foldiers and vehicles.
Army Aviation would be reduced to supporting on tougher targets like bunkers or larger armor groups, artillery, SAMs, and ballistic platforms. Most of these is also part of the Air Force's mission. It's likely Army Aviation becomes more focused on unit logistics and transport than combat.

I'd say that the last time Army Aviation really got a bigger budget was Vietnam.

I doubt that. If you look at the budget history, since Reagan the lowest annual budget point is still more than half of the war years.
It's only true that war expenditure was 2x more in revenue than in peace time.

Total $139 billion from 1965 to 1974 (withdrawal started in 69, and virtually ended in 71); adjusted for inflation 6.7x => $931.3 billion.
Annual budget these days is roughly 50% higher than the whole war.
$16 billion in military aid, $7 billion in economic aid, adjusted for inflation 6.7x => $154.1 billion (more than half of Ukraine's first year)
Congress cut support in 71 so $154.1/6 = $25.68_3_ B/year
So actual American military got $111 billion/9 year => $12.3 B adjusted for inflation 6.7x => $82.6_3_ B/year
Accounting for drawdown on manpower and operational systems. It looks to me like the budget per military unit would almost double after the war.
I bet a lot more went into deleopment of the Nimitz, Los Angeles, Ohio, M1 Abrams, M2 Bradley, F14, F15, F16, F18, A10, AH64 and all that jazz than actual warfare expenditure.

 

[Fluff]

The armed tilt-rotor concept has been theorized about for years Fluff but come to nought sadly, I want it to succeed this time.

I think as tech matures, it’s moved from luxury, to premium. Premium USA can afford.

 

[shin_getter]

It is kinda weird to step into the United State's mental framing in that losing men in firefights between squads is like, a big deal when you look at, for example meat waves. The thought of complex CAS avoiding friendly casualties is kinda funny when barrier troops is a thing.

The whole concept of the scale of conflict is just different.

I also suspect a 10kT device detonated at the Ukraine front probably would result in lower death than a packed C-17 shot down, because of lack of density.

Army Aviation would be reduced to supporting on tougher targets like bunkers or larger armor groups, artillery, SAMs, and ballistic platforms. Most of these is also part of the Air Force's mission. It's likely Army Aviation becomes more focused on unit logistics and transport than combat.

The army aviation could dream, they'd be thinking about air dropping terminators (and other robots) as a form of warfare. The air force certainly isn't getting into that business.

And nothing put the close in close air support than dropping an arnie to punch the other guy in the face.

 

[jsport]

The army aviation could dream, they'd be thinking about air dropping terminators (and other robots) as a form of warfare. The air force certainly isn't getting into that business.

And nothing put the close in close air support than dropping an arnie to punch the other guy in the face.

Amen Brother

 

[Mr.T]

Amen Brother

An then you end up with ISIS no1 in Syria and his sidekick AQ co-founder getting blowjobs by all the US top brass and whole red carpet treatment in WH. Then you see it was all a scam to move taxpayer funds to Virginia based LLC's and US soldiers were just consumable chumps.

 

[Jemiba]

Folks, this still is a thread about a possibleA-10 replacement, no swaggering at the cracker-barrel ...
So, please stay on topic and avoid politics !

​

 

[Scott Kenny]

I'll bet on small drones for small units and large swarms for brigade level. This takes care of most foot foldiers and vehicles.
Army Aviation would be reduced to supporting on tougher targets like bunkers or larger armor groups, artillery, SAMs, and ballistic platforms. Most of these is also part of the Air Force's mission. It's likely Army Aviation becomes more focused on unit logistics and transport than combat.

I doubt that. If you look at the budget history, since Reagan the lowest annual budget point is still more than half of the war years.
It's only true that war expenditure was 2x more in revenue than in peace time.

That's just total expenditure.

Not purely Army Aviation's cut.

And it's showing total expenditure when 1) all military equipment is getting significantly more expensive and 2) pretty much the entire US military needs to replace significant parts of their equipment fleets.